World's Top Brands Become Household Names At Licensing Expo

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Licensing Expo, the world's largest and most influential licensing industry event, brings 5,000 brands each year to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. More than 1,800 of those brands are from consumer goods and lifestyle categories such as household, automotive, publishing, sports, food and beverage, corporate and non-profit. Organized by UBM Advanstar and sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association, Licensing Expo is set to take place June 9-11 with the goal of connecting brand owners with retailers, manufacturers and promotional partners.

Jessica Blue, Vice President, Licensing Expo: "Licensing Expo is the place where household names are born. As well as featuring some of the world's most respected and well known brands, the show also introduces new brands to retailers and manufacturers. This is also where the world's largest licensing agencies gather to represent their clients. If you are looking for an agent for your brand, there is no place better to start than at Licensing Expo."

Daniel M. Siegel, Vice President – Licensing, IMG Worldwide Inc.: "With the acquisition of IMG by William Morris Endeavor last year, IMG Licensing is now the undisputed leader in licensing for talent in major feature films, TV, music and social media. This builds on IMG's perennial status as License! Global's #1 licensing agency in the world, representing such brands as Playboy, PGA TOUR, Wayne Gretzky and Claudia Schiffer. IMG is excited to showcase some of the biggest brands in the world at Licensing Expo this year as we look to build out new categories, retail partnerships and brand relationships."

Jack Stokes, Licensing Category Manager, TSBA Group: "Licensing Expo a key event in the TSBA Group calendar. It is a fantastic opportunity to sit down with our global network of licensees, meet with retailers and show off how we embody brands. Having officially launched the Shell licensing program at last year's show, we will be looking to build on the fantastic reception we received in our Shell vintage 1950's gas station. Developing our offering from 2014, we are excited to also showcase an experience with another of our brands; Caffe Nero, the Italian coffee company. We look forward to discussing the wealth of opportunities offered by our brands, forming new business relationships and demonstrating how we build brands."

Also confirmed to exhibit this year are companies such as AwesomenessTV, Cartoon Network Enterprises, Rovio Entertainment Ltd., Epic Rights, Paramount Pictures, disTROLLER, Major League Baseball Players Association, Mondo TV, Nintendo of America Inc., The Royal Ballet, SkyMall and YouTube with a pavilion of their brand partners.

About Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com) Now in its 35th year, Licensing Expo is the world's largest and most influential annual trade show dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The show floor is merchandised into four zones: Characters and Entertainment; Art and Design; Brands and Agents; Sourcing and Production. More than 15,700 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend from more than 90 countries. Licensing Expo is owned and organized by UBM Advanstar and is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). UBM Advanstar also owns and operates License! Global magazine and Brand Licensing Europe.

About UBM Advanstar UBM Advanstar, part of UBM Americas, is a US-based event and marketing services business serving the fashion, licensing, life sciences and powersports industries. The company owns and operates a portfolio of 54 tradeshows, 100 conferences, 30 publications, and almost 200 electronic products and websites. Our market-leading brands and a commitment to delivering innovative, quality products and services enable UBM Advanstar to "Connect Our Customers With Theirs." UBM Advanstar is a UBM plc company.